St Johnstone get draw against Dundee United

Jan 29 2010 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

ST Johnstone’s return to the SPL after a long-term absence has been hugely entertaining.

And their first derby visit to Tannadice since 2002 was mesmeric, as Saints seemed destined to throw away three points, only to show the resolve required to deny a United team on a four game winning streak a comeback victory and number five.

When pulse rates finally returned to normal, a draw was fair reward for the endeavours of these Tayside rivals.

United fancied Perth manager Derek McInnes to replace Scotland-bound Craig Levein but the bounty on his head was too rich for a club scrapping for third place in the SPL pecking order but anxiously assessing the finances.

Plenty of cash has been ploughed into the Tannadice set-up over recent years, while Saints have been worming their way out of the First Division. And there was a swagger and style about the Arabs in a second-half comeback which Saints found hard to handle.

But the visitors had the audacity to stun the home support by securing a two-goal interval advantage courtesy of decisive finishing and slack defending. They might have taken the game out of sight.

Peter MacDonald, who spent much of the game wide right preventing Dixon advancing, showed his finishing prowess in the sixth minute when United defenders surged out, allowing him to ghost onto a Kevin Moon header into the penalty area and poke the ball over Pernis.

He was one of four changes from the weekend, with Steven Anderson a solid deputy for suspended Graham Gartland, Kevin Moon adorning a fine display with an equaliser, and Cillian Sheridan making a belated debut up front.

The striker ploughed a lone furrow after Saints went two-up in the 21st minute, when Danny Grainger’s pass picked out MacDonald and broke into the path of Liam Craig off a United defender. The midfielder’s powerful angled finish found the far corner and he got his name on the scoresheet for a third successive game.

Saints could have netted the second minutes after the opener, with MacDonald firing a Sheridan lay-off inches past the post. Later, MacDonald curled another chance wide of the mark after Moon had missed a teasing Craig delivery.

Keeper Graeme Smith had turned aside a raking Daly strike but United were second best, although Craig picked-up a card for scything down Swanson as the diminutive midfielder posted notice of the pace which was to turn the tide in his team’s favour after a half-time roasting.

The referee handed United a ticket back into the match minutes after half-time when he gave a free-kick against Gary Irvine as he tumbled onto the ball. Conway’s delivery picked out Daly and his six-yard header ensured it was game on.

While United built-up a head of steam coming down the slope, making changes while McInnes put his on hold, Swanson executed a glorious 22-yard volley for a 69th minute equaliser .

On came Kenny Deuchar and Filipe Morais and their belated arrival added freshness and drive, but only after United fluked a third.

Myrie-Williams was a nuisance to Grainger with his pace and trickery but the substitute’s 20-yard curler took a crucial deflection to swerve inside the post beyond Smith’s despairing reach.

That would have floored lesser teams but goal number three in four minutes was tucked away by Moon. Morais picked out Deuchar at the back post and the striker rose to set-up the advanced midfielder. Moon was in unfamiliar territory but his finish into the corner was composed and precise. The goal glut was over but the drama raged on, with a United penalty claim, Smith brilliantly clawing out a Buaben powerdrive from 25-yards and the odd booking.

United are likely to face action after Smith picked up a lighter thrown from the home stand.

And in stoppage time three United defenders turned vigilante when Deuchar slid in to challenge their keeper. After an unseemly melee, Dixon and Jody Morris emerged with bookings and the excitement was over for the night.

DUNDEE UNITED: Pernis, Dods, Conway (Myrie-Williams 59), Daly, Swanson, Buaben, Gomis, Kenneth, Kovacevic, Dixon and Goodwillie (Casalinuovo 63). Subs not used: Banks, Dillon, Robertson, Shala and Cameron.

ST JOHNSTONE: Smith, Irvine, Grainger, Morris, Millar, Craig (Morais 70), Mackay, Moon, MacDonald, Anderson and Sheridan (Deuchar 70). Subs not used: McLean, McCaffrey, Milne, Reynolds and Hemsley.

Referee: Steve O’Reilly.